Improving Writing Skills in Elementary Students
Key Components of Successful Journaling as Writing Practice
Aug 23, 2009
The foundation of writing is set early on, and instead of watching a student struggle with writing in elementary school, certain strategies should be utilized to making writing a successful endeavor. With practice, prompts, and clear expectations a struggling writer can be transformed into a successful one.
Journaling has been found to be an excellent way to jump start writing skills at any age, and is especially in young children to not only improve the actual writing process, but also to improve the interest and confidence of the writer. Components of successful journaling exist and should be followed to afford the most benefits from the exercises.
Writing Prompts
The use of writing prompts can be immensely helpful in getting started. Writing prompts are imagination starters and can be in the form of questions (What one thing would you bring to a deserted island and why), scenarios (you are walking down the street and find a mysterious bottle, you pick it up and open it - what happens), sentence fragments (My favorite place to be...) and the student uses them to begin the thought process. Canteach.com offers a wide variety of writing prompts.
Set Clear Writing Expectations
Set clear expectations for the student. When a writer is struggling , telling him to write "a sentence" may be too vague. But by specifying word expectations, for instance, an eight word sentence, he will be able to have a guideline. Make sure the expectations are also relevant. Don't give a struggling writer a five paragraph essay to begin with. Make the goal attainable. Journal writing should be stress free. It's not the place to overload the writer; goals should be relevant and comfortable.
Make sure the writer knows what is needed of him and what to focus on. Journaling is a time to get thoughts out, not worry about spelling, capitalization, or form. It is important for the student to be able to get thoughts out in a safe way to build confidence.
Set Good Habits
Whether journaling becomes a daily habit or a weekly one, make it consistent. Perhaps it can be a letter to specific person, even the student himself, on a weekly basis. Writing on a daily basis is extremely beneficial, and if this route is taken, the writing can be in shorter increments. Just as with any homework, designate a comfortable area and a specific time to work in order to establish good habits.
Get in the habit of writing in a notebook. Not only does it help with organization, but the writer can look back and see the improvements made in a period of time. This is an effective confidence builder when a student can compare writings completed recently to those from a while back.
Illustrations Make Great Writing Prompts
Let the student illustrate the prose. Some very talented artists do not especially like to write, but this can be another confidence builder and add to the success of the student. Also, pictures make great writing prompts, whether it is a personal photo brought in by the student, or a magazine clipping supplied by the instructor.
In essence, improving writing skills in elementary students is much more than focusing on words. It's building confidence and routine along with success. By implementing these effective writing strategies through journaling, students can flourish as they find success with their writing.
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